In 1990, the future of the Private Woodlands Survey was reconsidered by the Forestry Commission. Its original purpose had been to inform interested parties on reviews of planting grants. In recent years, however, a change in the economic rationale underlying grant-aid to private woodland owners has been increasingly recognised. This means that the primary basis for determining the levels of grants is an assessment of the consequent public benefits, rather than of the cost incurred by the owner. At the same time, it was considered that information on forestry costs could be obtained more cost-effectively through periodic consultations with practitioners in the industry, without having to carry out a full-scale survey. Accordingly, in 1991, the Forestry Commission decided to wind down the survey and publish the results of the final three years’ work in the form of this Technical Paper. This publication is still available to order in hardcopy.